Aisha and the Prince of Wales

Chapter V: Girls' Night Out

“Wait, let me get this straight,” said Aisha’s best friend, Rose, “The Prince of Wales asked for your number, and then said he’ll be in touch?”

“Yes, but it’s only for work,” cautioned Aisha, stirring her cocktail with the straw.

Aisha had met her group of girlfriends for drinks and a bit of dancing at a club called Dante’s Inferno. It was a Friday-evening tradition they’d been following since forever. Of course, her parents thought she was at home, watching Netflix with her pet cat, Whiskers. They’d never approve of their good, Indian daughter going clubbing.

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Darling, if it was only for work, he’d have taken your card,” she said, knocking back her drink. The flashing, multicoloured lights highlighted her smooth, chocolate skin. With her beautiful complexion, dark, kinked curls that were coloured blonde towards the ends, and the sparkly minidress that accentuated her statuesque figure, Natalie Freeman was an absolute stunner.

Rose Nixon was attractive, too, in a more gothic way. She had dressed in all-black ever since the goth phase in high school that she never outgrew. Her eye make-up was dark and striking, highlighting her bright green eyes. Her scarlet lipstick went with the lacy bralette peeking out of her black netted top, and her smooth auburn hair was styled in an attractive pixie cut.

Aisha had left her long, shiny hair loose that night. Falling to below her hips, it was her pride and joy. Her religion, Sikhism, mandated that its followers never cut their hair, and except for an unfortunate incident in primary school where a wad of bubblegum had to be cut out of her hair, Aisha had never even trimmed it.

She was dressed in a red sleeveless minidress, and matching high heels. Her lipstick was subtle, but she was rocking a dramatic smokey eye that made added oomph to her look. 

The three girls had drawn several long glances since they entered the club, and Aisha knew it was only a matter of minutes before some besotted gentlemen tried to buy them a drink. 

“What are you going to do if he asks you out?” asked Rose, whipping out her phone, “Last I heard, he was dating some South African model.”

“Ilana Johnson,” said Aisha automatically, and then wished she could bite her tongue off. The damage was done, and her best friends raised their eyebrows in surprise. 

“My, my,” said Natalie, “Have you been Googling him, then?” 

“Don’t tell me you have a crush on him?” asked Rose, “Do you?

Before Aisha could respond, Natalie burst out laughing. 

“Oh my God,” she said, turning to Rose, “Can you imagine Mr. Ahluwalia’s reaction when his good Indian daughter starts going out with the Prince of Wales?”

“Alright, that’s enough,” said Aisha, cutting in before their banter went too far, “For the record, I do not have a crush on him. And second, I don’t date my clients. It’s not professional.”

“We’ll see,” said Rose, a mischievous smile playing on her red lips.